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240v GFCI outlets?

cliffcharb

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North Port, Fl
What is the benefit of requiring GFCI on the 240v outlets? According to the inspector all receptacles would require this in my garage.
I’ll have at least three outlets for welder, air compressor and RV.
 
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BrandonV

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Never seen a 240V GFCI receptacle it's usually done with a breaker.

A ground fault is the flow of electricity to an unplanned or unintended path to ground (including thru your body) which is why it is required.
 

WildBill

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I understand why GFI breakers/outlets exist, and believe they are a good safety device in a lot of places like a bathroom or kitchen. But in a garage on a 240v welding circuit I don't see the benefit besides the companies who run the NEC making more cash. I'm hoping to use a couple GFI breakers feeding 2-3 240v plugs each but haven't dug into it yet. Gonna get spendy if I have to do 1 per, but maybe I will. I don't think 240v GFI outlets exist, pretty sure you always do it with a breaker.
 
OP
C

cliffcharb

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North Port, Fl
I understand why GFI breakers/outlets exist, and believe they are a good safety device in a lot of places like a bathroom or kitchen. But in a garage on a 240v welding circuit I don't see the benefit besides the companies who run the NEC making more cash. I'm hoping to use a couple GFI breakers feeding 2-3 240v plugs each but haven't dug into it yet. Gonna get spendy if I have to do 1 per, but maybe I will. I don't think 240v GFI outlets exist, pretty sure you always do it with a breaker.
That’s one reason I ask. $180 for a breaker vs $40.
Makes me want to get my finals, then add my 240 circuits
 

WildBill

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That’s one reason I ask. $180 for a breaker vs $40.
Makes me want to get my finals, then add my 240 circuits
That's where I am now, already got the 120v circuits and my 240v mini split signed off last year but now I need to add all my 240v outlets.
 

Jblount3

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Nov 23, 2015
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Mankato MN
That’s one reason I ask. $180 for a breaker vs $40.
Makes me want to get my finals, then add my 240 circuits
Yep that’s what I’m doing but I’ll need to wire the air compressor as it sitting there but the other 220 have blank covers on them since “ I don’t know what plug the equipment will take” according to the inspector
 

PCustoms

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VT
profit in the name of safety because of a failed install. a person died because the grounding conductor on an AC compressor unit wasnt hooked up properly and motor shorted to the chassis. someone touched it and got nailed....
People die everyday
 

sparky 1971

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Central Iowa
So my welder outlet now needs GFCI protection, but can't I theoretically electrocute myself using the welder itself?

What protection did we really add?
I dunno. We don't have to install GFCI protection for 250 volt stuff in dwellings. The powers that be struck the words "through 250" out of 210.8(A) when we adopted the 2020. The 2023 is so effed up that we may not adopt it at all, at least that's what I heard at my update class. In a normal cycle it would have gone into effect on Jan. 1 2024.
 

sparky 1971

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profit in the name of safety because of a failed install. a person died because the grounding conductor on an AC compressor unit wasnt hooked up properly and motor shorted to the chassis. someone touched it and got nailed....
True, but that could happen on any circuit that doesn't have GFCI protection. It was an awful thing, even worse that it was a kid playing hide and seek but the 2020 GFCI rules wouldn't have made any difference in that situation. It's the old dumps that need the attention, the new stuff isn't going to have the issues. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule.
 

BrandonV

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True, but that could happen on any circuit that doesn't have GFCI protection. It was an awful thing, even worse that it was a kid playing hide and seek but the 2020 GFCI rules wouldn't have made any difference in that situation. It's the old dumps that need the attention, the new stuff isn't going to have the issues. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule.

One day we'll be like a lot of countries in Europe where the whole panel needs to be protected and for good reason.

The people who work with electricity all day know what they're doing. Homeowners plugging in random equipment is a different story.
 
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BrandonV

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Assuming 240V split phase, what is wrong with a GFCI on a 240V circuit?

It won't work is quite the same manner as here, but it will still detect a ground fault.

Jack

Nothing. In the United States I don't think a lot of people are familiar with GFCIs on 240V equipment.

A two pole GFCI for 240V will provide GFCI protection for 240V & 120V loads.
 

Jack Ryan

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Adelaide, South Australia
Nothing. In the United States I don't think a lot of people are familiar with GFCIs on 240V equipment.

A two pole GFCI for 240V will provide GFCI protection for 240V & 120V loads.
I don't know how US 240V GFCIs are configured internally, but if it is detecting the current difference in the two hots only, it would trip if you connected a 120V load.

What does the detection circuit look like?

Thanks
Jack
 

BrandonV

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I don't know how US 240V GFCIs are configured internally, but if it is detecting the current difference in the two hots only, it would trip if you connected a 120V load.

What does the detection circuit look like?

Thanks
Jack

GFCI breaker connects to the two hots and a pigtail to the neutral bar. Breaker itself has load terminals for two hots and a neutral.

1721799934106.png

1721799864953.png
 

mm08822

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Nothing. In the United States I don't think a lot of people are familiar with GFCIs on 240V equipment.

A two pole GFCI for 240V will provide GFCI protection for 240V & 120V loads.
For a GFCI to be rated for 120/240v circuit protection, the neutral is also monitored by the gfci cb.

120vac only ......................................................................................................................120/240vac
1721799969908.png1721800052759.png
 
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Jack Ryan

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GFCI breaker connects to the two hots and a pigtail to the neutral bar. Breaker itself has load terminals for two hots and a neutral.

1721799934106.png

1721799864953.png
Thanks for that, I see the neutral is monitored as well.

We have a pigtail on some of ours but it is a "functional earth" connection. It enables electronic GFCIs to continue to operate if there is a neutral fault. The neutral (or functional earth) is used to derive power for the GFCI.

It gets a but confusing because here, neutral is the common Wye point, not a split phase centre tap.

Jack
 

CoronadoBruin

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SoCal Mountains & Desert
One day we'll be like a lot of countries in Europe where the whole panel needs to be protected and for good reason.

The people who work with electricity all day know what they're doing. Homeowners plugging in random equipment is a different story.
Had a German electrician a couple of decades ago and we were discussing AFCIs as the code was changing right around then. He told me every circuit was AFCI protected in Germany and he thought it was crazy that it wasn't required here. I was thinking maybe I should do that on my next build for myself. Skip ahead many years and I was coming out of the shower when I smelled the tell-tale signs of an electrical fire or, more correctly, overheating circuit. Sure as sh!t, that house would've burned down had I not been there (I'm gone five-six months a year). It was in the dining room addition put up by the original owner (mid-range country club/golf course tract home in the desert) that was about the biggest POS addition I've ever seen with a cheap-*** rheostat that went bad. Not surprised. Next house ('25 or '26 start) will be all AFCI circuits, as will the current house soon enough.

It's cheap insurance and I would encourage everyone to do it, and 99% of the people on this board are more than capable enough to change their own breakers.
 

mm08822

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Square D website...........search within FAQs........this is an old version but still wired the same today.
1721800813332.png
 

Ultradog MN

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Twin Cities
In addition to profits being made don't forget about all the bureaucrats who need to justify their jobs by inventing new ways to prevent us from killing ourselves.
Not a garage here but I'm wiring a tiny 24'x24' cottage we recently bought that had power to the pedestal outside but had never been connected to the building or wired inside. I pulled a permit and installed a panel. All circuits require AFCIs or GFCIs and a couple of them require dual afci/gfci protection @ $65 a pop for the breakers. Then when he saw the 20" electric range in the kitchen the inspector said I needed a 220V gfci for that. I told him we were getting rid of that and will use a propane stove.
We pay those bureaucrats good salaries to make the cost of everything more expensive by passing more and more of their onerous, nanny state laws.
The range is a rather cool little vintage job and we want to keep it. I will run that circuit after I pass the final inspection.
 

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wyliesdiesels

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Modesto, CA
Thanks for that, I see the neutral is monitored as well.

We have a pigtail on some of ours but it is a "functional earth" connection. It enables electronic GFCIs to continue to operate if there is a neutral fault. The neutral (or functional earth) is used to derive power for the GFCI.

It gets a but confusing because here, neutral is the common Wye point, not a split phase centre tap.

Jack
sounds like youre referring to a 3Ø system. our Wye systems here in the US also have the neutral as the common wye center point.

but residential rarely ever gets 3 phase service here
 

Jack Ryan

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Adelaide, South Australia
sounds like youre referring to a 3Ø system. our Wye systems here in the US also have the neutral as the common wye center point.

but residential rarely ever gets 3 phase service here

Street distribution is 3 phase Wye (400V phase voltage) but most domestic users are only supplied one phase - one of the three phases and the common neutral point (230V).

This may change with increasing numbers of EVs as the chargers are happier on three phase.

Jack
 

mm08822

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Street distribution is 3 phase Wye (400V phase voltage) but most domestic users are only supplied one phase - one of the three phases and the common neutral point (230V).

This may change with increasing numbers of EVs as the chargers are happier on three phase.

Jack
At least in the US, level 3 EVSE requires 208 or 480vac, 3 phase. I'm sure there are 400vac versions available or soon to be. These would really make the grid scream!! :scared: (and for that reason, may never happen in residential areas)
 

SlappyWhite

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Oct 3, 2012
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Upper Canada
In addition to profits being made don't forget about all the bureaucrats who need to justify their jobs by inventing new ways to prevent us from killing ourselves.
Not a garage here but I'm wiring a tiny 24'x24' cottage we recently bought that had power to the pedestal outside but had never been connected to the building or wired inside. I pulled a permit and installed a panel. All circuits require AFCIs or GFCIs and a couple of them require dual afci/gfci protection @ $65 a pop for the breakers. Then when he saw the 20" electric range in the kitchen the inspector said I needed a 220V gfci for that. I told him we were getting rid of that and will use a propane stove.
We pay those bureaucrats good salaries to make the cost of everything more expensive by passing more and more of their onerous, nanny state laws.
The range is a rather cool little vintage job and we want to keep it. I will run that circuit after I pass the final inspection.
Is it because of the distance between the range and the sink (not enough) or is it just a standard NEC requirement for stoves to be GFCI these days?
 
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